EAM Jaishankar Meets US Intelligence Chiefs To Bolster Security Ties

In a significant diplomatic engagement in Washington, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held meetings with two of the United States’ top intelligence officials—Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

These meetings form part of India’s broader outreach to enhance security cooperation with the US.

Following his meeting with Tulsi Gabbard, Jaishankar shared on platform X (formerly Twitter) that they had a ‘good exchange on the global situation and our bilateral cooperation’.

In a separate post about his meeting with FBI Director Patel, Jaishankar stated that both sides appreciated the ‘strong cooperation in countering organised crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism’.

Both Gabbard and Patel, practising Hindus with Indian heritage, share longstanding connections with India, adding a personal dimension to their professional engagement with Indian leadership.

Counterterrorism & drug trafficking cooperation

Counterterrorism continues to be a key pillar of the India-US strategic partnership.

Since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, both countries have intensified collaboration, with initiatives such as the India-US Counter Terrorism Initiative (2010), the Counterterrorism Working Group, and the Counterterrorism Designations Dialogue.

The importance of this partnership is underlined by recent developments.

Just ahead of Jaishankar’s meetings, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced a major crackdown on a transnational drug-smuggling network based in India.

The Narcotics Control Bureau’s intelligence-sharing led to a joint operation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA), resulting in the arrest of Joel Hall, a major trafficker in Alabama.

Authorities seized over 17,000 tablets of controlled substances, and they are preparing to indict a key Indian-American money launderer involved in the network.

Context of EAM Jaishankar’s visit

Jaishankar is in Washington to attend the Quad Ministerial Meeting, where he met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.

Beyond the Quad, he is engaging with key US officials to advance India-US ties in sectors like defence, energy, and technology.

As part of these bilateral engagements, S Jaishankar also held discussions with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

EAM Jaishankar’s meetings reflect the maturing of India-US ties into a comprehensive security and strategic partnership.

From intelligence-sharing and defence cooperation to countering global threats, the bilateral agenda continues to expand with shared values and common interests at its core.

Also Read: India-US Ties Stand Independent Of Third Countries: EAM Jaishankar In Washington